10 Star Trek Storylines Begging To Be Continued
6. What Happened To The Ocampa?
The Ocampa were a race with a fascinating premise - they're a species who are like the Mayfly. They are born, they live short lives, and then they die. So, how does one appreciate life when time is a constant presence?
Unfortunately, and we don't feel this is a controversial statement here - that premise was never properly explored. Kes was our viewpoint character, and the writers simply didn't give her anything to do.
Caretaker and Cold Fire are truly the only episodes that explore the Ocampa and their relationship with the Sporositian lifeforms, but the race as whole was left to fend for itself after the Caretaker's death.
With enemies surrounding them, in the form of the Kazon, yet with both advanced technology and the capacity for potentially dangerous telekinetic powers, what would the Ocampa become when the inevitably are forced to leave their homeworld?
Perhaps the ho-hum episode Fury was a taste of this. Kes returns, filled with misplaced rage, intent of taking her younger self away from Voyager. If Kes, someone who lived and loved on the ship for years, could turn so hateful toward them - what would the Ocampa themselves become?
There is a very real chance, with time as short as it is, they could effectively become warlords of the Delta Quadrant. Its a story that begs exploration, for though we didn't see nearly enough of them in the series, these magical Mayflies may actually be one of Star Trek's most fascinating species.